Try
by GUCIGIRL
Summary: Aaron Grayson, son of the famous Robin and Starfire, has been faced with challenges throughout his whole life, but he can deal with them. None, however, can compare to the wall that stands between him and the rest of his family. StarRob, BBRae, VicBee, Jx
1. Chapter 1

**Title: Try**

**Summary: Aaron Grayson, son of the famous Robin and Starfire, has been faced with challenges throughout his whole life, but he can deal with them. None, however, can compare to the wall that stands between him and the rest of his family. StarRob, BBRae, VicBee, JxKF**

**Disclaimer: I'm sad to report that I own absolutely nothing. (It's depressing, isn't it?)**

**Author's notes: OK, wow. I'm on my fourth fic. This is freaky: and it's going to be multiple chapters. Come on. I need serious applause for this. It is hard for me to write _just _chapters and not the whole thing. I got inspired for this on my way back from my cousin's Bar Mitzvah. I got to miss school on Monday! I got snowed in my hotel in New Jersey, and got to spend extra time with my cousins – all seven of them are boys and younger than me. **

**Enough talk. Let's get down to business. **

**Try**

**Inspired by the song _I'll Try_ by Jonatha Brooke**

Richard ran his fingers nervously through his limp hair, which he hadn't bothered to fix today. Today was the big day – it had begun yesterday, actually. After a severe panic back at the tower, he now sat in the waiting room of the maternity ward of the Jump City Hospital. Any person walking by would have thought him to be a normal guy who was waiting anxiously for news. Richard bounced a small redhead boy on his lap, whose bubbly laugh was the only thing keeping him sane. The little boy was about two, and was his son. His wife, Kori, or Starfire, was back in her room getting prepped.

Glancing at the clock, Richard groaned. How long had it been since they had arrived? An hour? Two hours? He had lost track of time long ago. Now, the only thing that sat between he and his wife were a set of double doors and a hallway. Leaning back in his seat, a comforting hand was placed on his shoulder. It was his half-metallic friend, Vic, who was smiling down at him. "Relax, man. Everything is going to be fine. Kori is strong – she'll be fine." Yes, there was an element of truth to this, but he was allowed to worry, wasn't he? He knew that all of his friends, who were surrounding him in the waiting room, were also concerned that he was worrying too much.

Gar and Raven sat across from him with their two-year-old daughter, Emily, and were both watching their daughter in silence. Vic and Karen were sitting to his left. Karen's hand was resting gently on her stomach. She and her husband had decided to have a baby, and everyone knew it would be a matter of months before she was expecting as well. The final couple waiting in the room was Wally and his newlywed wife, Jinx, now known by her real name, Gwyneth. They had been married last month, and were not looking at children for a few years. Two children, soon to be three, around the tower were enough for now.

A scream sounded from inside the double doors, and a nurse rushed through, her hair frazzled and her face a mixture of amazement and panic. She glanced around and made eye contact with Richard. "Mr. Richard Grayson? We're not quite ready for you yet, but your wife wants you back there immediately. I suggest you comply. She's completely tense and I don't want to risk hurting her or the baby."

"What about me?" Richard joked nervously, handing the little boy on his lap to Vic, who took him willingly. He stood and trudged into the back with the nurse. Through the double doors, she led him to the third door on the right, where Kori now was. Her brow was covered in sweat, and her eyes were glowing bright green, but they immediately returned to normal when Richard came. "Hey, Kori. How are you holding up?"

"The process of birthing children is most painful, I must say. Why did they not allow you to come back to our room when we first arrived?"

"Well, they had to get you into your hospital gown and get you situated on the bed before setting up machinery. Then the doctor is called in and I can come."

"I see now," Kori replied in sudden understanding. The conversations stopped there and she let out a cry that could have knocked people down a mile away. A nurse did some examining, and told them that I was time. Kori's face was scrunched up in pain. Richard grasped his wife's hand and held it tight. She squeezed it so tightly that is fingers began to turn purple, which was nothing compared to the shade of her face. Another contraction hit, and she screamed. Richard thought his hand would fall off, but thought of how much more she was hurting. The nurse coaxed them on, telling them that it would only be another few minutes. Richard glanced at the clock – it was nearly six in the morning. Kori had woken him up eight hours ago with the news.

After four more pain-filled minutes for both husband and wife, the nurse gave a shout of triumph. "A head! Your baby has a head – I can feel it!"

"Did you hear that, Kori? She can feel the baby's head!"

After hours of scrunching in concentration, her face broke out into an honest-to-God smile, which was replaced by an outcry from her once more. Any minute now…

"One more big push, and you'll have a new baby," called the nurse.

Kori went full out. Her eyes glowed, and she gave a final scream. As her cry reverberated around the room, it was joined by the loud cry of a baby. Richard threw a glance at the clock; 5:53 AM. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. It was not given to the couple yet, but merely presented. The nurse held up the baby – it would not have been beautiful to the average person, but to Richard and Kori, it was the most beautiful sight in the world. It was purple rather wet, but they didn't notice those things. They saw its eyes, nose, and mouth; its ten fingers and ten toes; its belly button and little ears. They saw its hair – a small pouf of black at the top. The baby would be a miniature version of its father. "It's a boy," Kori breathed before falling back on her pillows, exhausted.

The baby boy was carried off to be examined. He was laid down on a small table, where the nurse cleaned him and then the doctor took over. He examined the baby's face, head, body, and arms. He reached the legs and stopped. Something wasn't right. They were slightly tangled, which only meant…

The doctor wrapped the boy up in a blanket and returned him safely to his mother's arms. "Oh, Richard, may I present his name for the nurse to write down on his certificate of birth?" He nodded and she recited, as though she had said it a million times, "Aaron Samuel Grayson." The parents, now satisfied, took to admiring their new son. Now completely unnoticed, the doctor cleared his throat. "Yes?" Kori asked.

"I want to congratulate you both on your new son. However, I have some bad news." He watched the couple draw back in fear, not knowing what they would soon hear. He loved helping to perform miracles each day, but this was the only aspect he hated. "You have a perfectly healthy son, however, Aaron was born with tangled legs. Most babies are born with straight legs that are aligned their body. However, his bones developed in an odd shape. We will be able to straighten them out, but it will take time. Aaron will never have fully-functional legs, but with the right treatment, he may be able to walk by the time he is four if we're lucky."

Richard felt his heart break into a million pieces. This was not what was supposed to happen. Aaron was supposed to be a perfect baby, just like Bruce, who was already showing signs of super-strength at his young age. Tears beginning to form in his eyes, Richard closed them and thanked the doctor for all his help. Turning back to Kori and Aaron, he looked into the little boy's eyes. Only minutes old, and they were already twinkling. He smiled – they would make it through Aaron's problems. The Grayson family could overcome anything – they always had. "May I?" he asked Kori, who smiled weakly.

He took the baby up in his arms and immediately felt his heart swell with pride. It didn't matter that his son had a disability, he told himself, and any child of Kori was bound to be wonderful. Aaron yawned and began to howl. Kori took the child back in her arms and began to nurse him. "One thing's for sure – there's absolutely nothing wrong with his lungs. Listen to that!" Richard laughed. Kori laughed genuinely, having a mother's instinct that everything would be fine. Richard's laugh, however, was a bitter one. He knew that he loved Aaron, but he wasn't perfect like Bruce. His head told him things that he wanted to hear, but a voice in the back of his mind knew otherwise.

Glancing back once more, he went back to the waiting room, where he called everyone in. Bruce rushed to his daddy, holding his arms up. Richard scooped him up and led him over to the bed where Kori sat. There was a soft intake of breath from Bruce, who was mesmerized by the bundle of blankets in his mother's arms. "Baby," he breathed. Richard smiled – Bruce didn't need to know about Aaron's problem just now. No one did. The air was filled with so much joy. Everyone wanted to get a look at the newborn.

"He looks just like you, Richard," Raven said, admiring him.

"Yeah. It's Robin II," Gar added as a joke, shifting Emily in his arms.

"Congratulations, man. You too, Kori." Richard looked up at Vic, who had just wished them well. He had such a positive outlook. Something about Vic gave him confidence. For the first time, he had the feeling that everything might actually turn out all right. After all, anything is possible with your friends at your side. Keeping his son's impairment a secret for now, he called the nurse back in and called everyone over to the bed to gather around for a photograph. Richard beamed at the camera. He knew Kori would want to hang the picture up at the Tower, so he had to smile happily. If anyone were to look back on this day, nothing but happy memories would ever come to mind.

There it be! I'm sorry it was so short. It is only the intro, after all. I know what general direction I'm going with the story, but I have absolutely no clue how many chapters it will take.

**Please review and make my day! I need feedback if I want to continue the story and please people. **

**So, R&R, please!**


	2. Braces

Title: Try

**Summary: Aaron Grayson, son of the famous Robin and Starfire has been faced with challenges throughout his whole life, but he can deal with them. None, however, can compare to the wall that stands between him and the rest of his family. StarRob, BBRae, VicBee, JxKF**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing: plain and simple. Wait…wait…wait…no. Nothing. **

**Author Notes: OK, peoples. I only got 3 reviews. You can do better than that. If I want to keep this story going, I need reviews to boost my spirits: even if they're negative. It shows me that people read my stuff. **

**Please read my story: I'd love for you to do so! It's going to get better. This story will involve medical treatments, but I'm not a doctor, so don't get mad if I make things up that aren't true. New characters introduced in this story so far:**

**Bruce Nolan Grayson: Bruce is Robin and Starfire's first son. He is two when the story begins. He has red hair like his mother, but blue eyes like his father. He can fly and has super-strength.**

**Emily Marie Logan: Emily is Gar and Raven's first child. She is Bruce's age when the story begins, meaning she is two. She has purple hair and pale skin. Her eyes, however, are bright green. She has the powers of empathy and healing, like her mother. **

**Aaron Samuel Grayson: Aaron is Robin and Starfire's second child. He has black hair and blue eyes – he is the image of his father. Aaron is born with his legs tangled, and the doctors estimate that will not be able to walk until his about four years old. Aaron shows no signs powers.**

Anyway, let's get down to the story, shall we? Enjoy. 

Try

Chapter 2: Braces

Three days after Aaron's birth, the doctors finally permitted Kori and Aaron Grayson to leave the hospital. Although they would have to bring Aaron back in five days' time, he was coming home for now. Kori stood in front the hospital's front doors. The outside world was so big – the hospital seemed so safe. In here, no media could harass her, no villains could torture her, and no people could stare openly at her. Beyond the doors, she could easily spot the reporters and cameramen on the sidewalk, waiting for the famous Titan to arrive back into the world, a new baby in tow. No official announcements had been made: no gender, name, or anything. Once she stepped through the double doors in front of her, she would leave the comfort of her snug white room.

"Kori?" a voice called to her. The shout called her back to Earth. It was Richard – she would recognize the voice anywhere. "Kori? Are you all right?"

"Yes, Richard. I believe I am. However, it would be most comforting if you held my hand." Her husband complied, and together, they reentered the busy Jump City. Cameras flashed and reporters yelled questions from behind the camera. Richard and Kori made their way down the sidewalk, trying to ignore the comments and questions thrown at them. About halfway down, Kori pulled her husband aside. "Perhaps we should give them what they want. We can give a gender, a name, and perhaps a comment about much of 'the thrilled' we are. We need not mention our son's problem."

Nodding in agreement, Richard adjusted Bruce on his hip and the family turned back towards the cameras. "Hey, everybody," Richard said, stroking Bruce's back.

"Robin – everyone is dying to know about the child. What can you tell us?"

"Well, the baby turned out to be a boy. His name is Aaron, and he is a beautiful baby."

"Let's get a shot of him!" a cameraman called. Instantly, video cameras came forward to catch a glimpse of the sleeping face that lay safe in Kori's arms. Richard could almost hear an 'Awwww!" echo throughout the city.

"Tell me," one reporter said excitedly, "were you disappointed that it was a boy and not a girl?"

"Well," Kori replied, "although it would be most wonderful to have a female child, I have found it to be marvelous to raise a male child. Son Bruce is a most cheerful youth."

"Bruce Grayson, what do you think of your new brother?" a woman asked.

"Baby!" he shrieked, hiding his face with his hands and giggling. Richard laughed and told Bruce to wave bye-bye to the cameras. He did what he was told, and the family left. Vic had pulled the T-Car up and held the door politely for his good friends. They climbed in, strapping in the little ones and driving off. As they drove, people gathered on the streets to try and steal a glance of the famous couple's new addition. A few people even tailed the car, jogging behind before Vic turned the rockets on and they flew across the bay.

Upon arrival back at the tower, Vic seemed to disappear almost instantly. A little confused, Richard unbuckled Bruce and walked inside, entering the access code. The tower seemed dark and empty. Kori gave her husband a confused look before the two proceeded forward to the main room. The door slid open and they were instantly greeted with a wave of noise and color. There was a call of "SURPRISE!", and all of their friends jumped up from behind tables, countertops, and the couch.

Kori and Richard were mainly bewildered, Bruce shrieked with excitement, and Aaron just kept sleeping. "Wow – guys, thanks. What is this?" Richard asked, setting Bruce down to go find Emily.

"Well, since you guys have been stuck at the hospital for the last few days, we organized a party for the kid over there and his lucky parents." Gar chuckled and stepped forward. "We call it – the Grayson family celebration bonanza!" Kori laughed to herself. It was so nice to have friends who were so kind to do the 'throwing of parties' for she and Richard for the occasion of the birth of son Aaron. Many of their friends were there – Gar and Raven (with Emily, of course), Vic and Karen, Gwyneth and Wally, Speedy, Aqualad, and Más y Menos. There was also another figure who stood in the shadows that Kori did not recognize. He was tall with broad shoulders, but other than that she could not tell. Richard, however, seemed to recognize him.

He seemed to have forgotten all else, and was striding towards the silhouetted man. "B-Bruce? Is that you?" he choked out, trying to stay in control. The man stepped out of the shadows and the whole room seemed to gasp. It was Bruce Wayne – _the_ Bruce Wayne!

"Hello, Richard. It's good to see you." Mr. Wayne smiled warmly down at Richard and placed an arm around his shoulder and pulled him into a bear-like embrace. "Congratulations on the new child. Can I see him?"

"Yeah, of course," he said, heading back over to Kori, who gently passed the bundle into her husband's arms. The whole room seemed to watch with baited breath as Bruce took a tender hold of the baby. "His name is Aaron."

"He is a beautiful baby – all I could possibly want out of a grandson."

Every head in the room focused solely on Richard. He – the son of Bruce Wayne? Kori was the first to speak. "So, you are the man who raised my husband?"

"Yes, I am – I am Richard's adoptive father. You must be Kori. It is a pleasure to meet you. Richard has told me all about you. From what I've heard, you are quite an amazing woman."

Kori blushed profusely and little Bruce rushed over, Emily's hand grasped in his. "You're tall," was all Emily managed. She was rather shy.

"Hi, Mr. Wayne!" Bruce said, jumping up and down.

"Son Bruce, please, calm down," Kori soothed, grabbing her son's hands and restraining him.

"Bruce, eh?" Mr. Wayne chuckled, "nice choice of name, son. I like it."

"So, Richard, this is the reason why you absolutely insisted on naming our son Bruce?"

"This is why," he answered proudly.

"Bruce Grayson, I'd like you to meet Grandpa Bruce,"

Raven interjected. "I hate to break up this family reunion, but this is a party," she pointed out, "besides, you haven't asked us how we got Bruce Wayne to come."

"All right, how?"

"I invited him. I've been in your head – I knew all about him. I figured that he might want to know."

"Thanks."

Gar leapt up in the air, excited. "OK – now that the party is officially underway, let's get started!" He bent down, rummaging for something. The others could hear him mumbling to himself: _Come on, dude! I know it's down here…somewhere. Oh! Is that it? No…damn. Where is it? Come on? Rae's gonna kill me if I lost…_

"Lost what, Garfield Logan?"

"Um…the cake?" he squeaked.

"Didn't you order an ice cream cake?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Did you try the _freezer_?"

"Oh…yeah. Heh, my bad."

Gar left to go to the kitchen and returned seconds later, cake in hand. "Tada!" he beamed, opening the lid of the cold box. Inside was a beautiful cake with white frosting and blue writing on top, surrounded by little blue footprints.

_Welcome, Aaron Samuel Grayson!_

_July 14th_

_6lbs. 4oz. _

_Congratulations Richard, Kori, and Bruce!_

"Oh, friends! It is most glorious! I am delighted that you are so joyous at the birth of son Aaron." Kori flew over to examine it.

"Of course, Star. Why wouldn't we be excited about Aaron?" Karen said, draping her arm around her good friend. "Lemme grab the camera so we can catch a 'Kodak moment'."

As Karen left, Kori turned to her husband. "Please, what is this 'moment of Kodaks?"

"It's just an expression that means to take a picture. Kodak is a brand of film."

Karen returned a few minutes later, and the Grayson family gathered behind the cake, then with Bruce Wayne, and then with everyone at the party. After about eight pictures, little Bruce grew tired of waiting and dug his hands into the frosting. The pictures after that grew blurry. Richard was scolding Bruce for taking the cake without permission, but in that process, he got frosting on his cheek, making Kori laugh.

After Bruce's first attempt at getting cake, they decided that enough was enough, and dug in, themselves. Mingling began, and soon, Emily and Bruce grew bored with adult talk. They went and found Gar and tugged on his pant leg, asking him to turn on the TV for them. Picking both toddlers, he placed them gently on the couch before pressing the power button and flipping channels to find an appropriate show for the two. He found something suitable and returned to the party. After about ten minutes, Bruce suddenly shrieked, "MOMMY! DADDY! LOOK! BABY'S ON TV!"

The room went dead silent as heads turned to face the giant screen. Indeed, there were Kori, Richard, Bruce, and Aaron standing outside the hospital as they left. The camera zoomed in on a shot of the newborn's face before the female announcer's voice came on in the background.

"_Jump City's own heroes, Robin and Starfire, welcomed a new addition into their family last week, and here he is. It's been reported that his name is Aaron, and his parents say that he is absolutely beautiful."_ There was a brief pause, where smiles reverberated around the room. _"However, absolutely beautiful might not describe Aaron's health."_ Richard and Kori exchanged shocked looks as baby Aaron was drawn closer to his mother. _"An anonymous tip-off has said that there is news that the baby was born with some physical impairments, and will never fully gain the use of his legs. We asked doctors, but they declined any comment."_

The special news report ended, and all eyes turned back to Kori and Richard. Raven stepped forward, her voice faltering. "Is…is it true?" She looked on the verge of tears.

Richard looked angrier than shocked, and Kori was also looking teary-eyed. "How could they?" Kori burst out, stroking her precious bundle of blankets, "How did they?"

"I don't know and I don't care. They will pay."

"Are you going to ask our question or not?" Gar asked gravely.

"Yes," was a small reply from Kori. "Yes. Son Aaron does have a physical impairment. His legs are twisted, and he will not be able to walk until he is four."

"Why didn't you tell us?" Vic asked.

"We did not want the joy or our son's birth to be halted because of this news. We are truly happy, and we wanted to make sure that you could honestly share in our happiness."

Richard headed over to the couch and sat down, burying his face in his hands and then running them through his hair. "How did they find out?" he asked himself, frustrated.

"I think it best if we continue the celebration much later. I must have a word with Richard."

Everyone left. Gar grabbed Emily off the couch, and the room was soon empty. Mr. Wayne, however, stayed just behind the door, ready for an angry Richard – a side of his son which he knew so well.

When the room was empty, Kori sat down beside her husband and gently stroked his back with her free hand. "Richard, I do not know how the people of media found out. That does not matter to me now. What I care about is you. Are you all right? You have…not been…yourself since son Aaron's birth. What troubles you?"

"I…I don't know if I know how to deal without perfection. All my life I've been a perfectionist – when I was a trapeze artist, when I was an apprentice, when I was a leader, a husband, and now, a father. When Bruce was born and the nurse announced that he was perfect, I wasn't overly happy, because I had a voice inside my head that told me that it was automatically expected. This time, I thought it would be true again. I was wrong."

"Richard, you must not demand perfection from everyone and everything. No, son Aaron is not perfect, but that does not matter. No person is. But the question you must ask yourself is if you still love him, no matter what? I do. Do you feel unwavering love for our child?"

To his surprise, he didn't even think about the answer. "Yes. Yes, I do."

Little Bruce crawled over to where his parents were sitting on the couch and whispered into his father's ear. "Don't worry, Daddy. I still love Baby no matter what."

TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT

A few days later, the Graysons found themselves in a familiar part of the hospital – the waiting room. Today was the day. After today, Aaron's life would change forever. Kori and Richard sat with a sleeping Bruce next to them. They had been waiting for six hours. Earlier that day, they had taken Aaron in to have the doctors set his legs in the braces. However, it turned out to be much more difficult than that. Apparently, they had to perform special surgery, because with the amount of work that had to be done, the braces would have to be attached to him at the knee. The surgeons would attach metal rods to the bones and joints, so they would help with stabilization. The shins would contain adjustable knobs and extensions for when he grew. It all sounded so complicated, but the doctor had assured them that it was a fairly simple procedure.

Finally, after the hours of waiting, Aaron's new doctor, Dr. James Walker, came through the large double doors leading to the back. He removed his mask and came over, smiling. "Congratulations. Your son's operation was successful. Aaron is still asleep, but his legs are situated. He will spend the next two weeks here. Before he goes home, you and anyone who he might be left in the care of must be given the information it takes to operate his braces."

"Wonderful. Can we see him?" Richard asked.

"Follow me," was the doctor's reply.

He led them past the incubator room, where tiny preemies lay, attached to every machine known to man. Kori gasped and covered her mouth when she saw. "Thank X'hal that our Aaron…" Richard heard her say.

"You're right about that, Mrs. Grayson," Dr. Walker said, "about half of those poor little ones might not make it past two months. Unfortunately, we don't have the money or technology to help save all such little souls."

"How horrible. It makes one so grateful."

The small group was lead to a private room towards the back, where a small baby lay in a bassinet, covered in blankets. Dr. Walker nodded and the Grayson family came forward to greet the baby. Aaron was still asleep from the medicine. Gingerly, Richard unfolded the blankets on his son's lower half. He drew back instantly. Where pink flesh was once visible, now lay tiny bars of metal. Aaron's knees were slightly disconfigured. It pained him to see a child of his own in so much pain – with such a big problem to face. Then again, no matter how painful the braces looked, they were the source of a great miracle. They would mean that his son would one day be able to walk. He stroked Aaron's cheek softly before turning back to Kori.

"Beautiful," he whispered.

Tada! Here it is…the second chapter! Sorry it took a while, but I was lacking inspiration for a few days. I really hope you enjoyed it, because it's going to get better. I promise!

**Please, please, _please_ REVIEW! It makes me sad and disappointed and makes me think that nobody reads my work when barely anyone reviews. Like I said…only three people last time. If you were one of those three people, then THANK YOU WITH ALL OF MY HEART AND SOUL. **

**Peace 'n luv! **

**GUCIGIRL**


	3. Cake and Calls

**Title: Try**

**Summary: Aaron Grayson, son of the famous Robin and Starfire has been faced with challenges throughout his whole life, but he can deal with them. None, however, can compare to the wall that stands between him and the rest of his family. StarRob, BBRae, VicBee, JxKF**

**Disclaimer: Do I even have to say anything? OK…fine. I own nothing. Sorry. Now leave me alone. I followed the rule, but it doesn't mean I like it. If I owned Teen Titans, it would still be on and we'd start season 6. **

**Author's notes: 3rd chapter, baby! Yeah, pretty much. I'd like to thank the**

**4 REVIEWS from last time. You seriously made my day! I love you all. Now if only I could get more…**

**New Characters!**

**Mark Adam Logan: Second child of Raven and Gar, he has green hair, green eyes, and light skin. His powers include shape shifting. Mark is now 3.**

**Matthew (Matt) Jacob Stone: First child of Vic and Karen, he has dark hair, dark eyes and dark skin. His powers include that he is a genius and he has electricity in his hands. Matt is now 3.**

**Benjamin (Ben) Nicholas Stone: Second child of Vic and Karen, he has dark hair, dark eyes, and dark skin. His powers include flying and shrinking. Ben is now 1. **

**Madeline (Maddie) Gabriella West: First child of Gwyneth (Jinx) and Wally, she has red hair and blue eyes. Her powers include super-speed, and she can vibrate through solid matter. Maddie is now 2.**

**Enjoy!**

**Try**

**Chapter 3 : Cake and Calls**

Sunlight streamed into the room, brightening up the atmosphere. Night was ending, and another day was dawning on Jump City. Inside the room, the white walls were glowing. As the light moved throughout the room, small painted handprints were found all over in every color of the rainbow. There were tiny handprints and big handprints. Pictures hung from the walls, too, reflecting memories of times past. There was a picture of a tiny baby and another of a toddler giggling. Drawings decorated the room – drawings of people, animals, and places, all done in soft crayons. The artist, himself, was still fast asleep in his bed.

The top of his head was visible over colorful quilts and sheets. His raven hair gleamed in the morning sunlight. When the daylight passed over his closed eyelids, he winced and slowly peeled them open. The brilliant blue eyes of Aaron Grayson peered around and glinted. He yawned gently and sat up, using a large pillow for a back support. He couldn't help smiling – today was his birthday. He threw back the covers, not wanting to miss a single second of his favorite day of the year. The green sheets were torn back, revealing his legs. To strangers, it would be a strange sight to look at, and they would stare. To Aaron's family, however, it was normal. His legs were covered in metal braces. There were metal bars that went up to his thigh, and there were giant metal plates that covered his scarred knees. This is where the braces went through his leg. More bars ended at his ankle. It wasn't painful, like it used to be, but Aaron had always wanted to freely move his legs like his brother, Bruce.

As if on cue, Bruce burst through his brother's door. He was floating in the air, as he often did. He enjoyed flying and showing off his super-strength to everyone he met. Aaron didn't seem to have inherited powers, something that confused him. "Happy Birthday, Aaron!" he yelled happily, landing softly by his brother's bed. The six-year-old grinned at the younger boy and hugged him. Although they were very different, you couldn't find two brothers who got along better. Bruce sat down beside Aaron and handed him a piece of folded red cardboard paper. On the front, Bruce had carefully written 'Happy birthday Aaron' with his new-found skill of writing and writing. Since Aaron couldn't run around and play like his brother, he had learned to read a couple months ago.

"Thanks, Bruce," he said, attempting to stand up.

"Here. Lemme help." Bruce draped his arm around his brother's shoulders and helped him rise to his feet. Unbeknownst to the boys, their parents, Richard and Kori stood by the door, watching their boys proudly. They hadn't changed much, except for Kori, who was now heavily pregnant with another child. The baby was due in a matter of weeks. They were extremely proud of both of their sons. Both were incredibly outgoing. Bruce was destined to be an athlete – Richard was teaching him to play basketball. He was starting first grade in the fall and had recently learned to read. Aaron, it was obvious, was smarter than Bruce. He also had the biggest heart that they had ever seen in any little boy. Aaron would never give up, even if it meant hard work.

After Aaron was safely on his feet, Richard and Kori appeared from the doorway. "Good morning, boys. How did you sleep?"

"I slept good," Aaron answered.

"You slept _well_, sweetie."

"Right."

"Now that you're both up, why don't you come down to breakfast?"

Bruce followed right away, holding his mommy's hand. Aaron, however, hung back for a moment. Hadn't his parents remembered that today was his fourth birthday? Sure that they had, he followed closely behind. Since he couldn't bend his knees very much, the walk was a little awkward, but to him, it was normal. He rubbed his eyes, as he was still tired. Breakfast, however, was a casual affair, and was usually had in pajamas. Aaron trudged into the living room in his baseball pajamas, and the automatic doors shut behind him. Inside, it was already lively. In the last few years, the tower had gone from mildly busy to slightly chaotic. Now, instead of three kids in the house, there were seven. Bruce was the eldest, and was very proud of that fact.

Wally was in the kitchen flipping pancakes, while Karen was pouring juice into plastic cups and glasses. She had her youngest, Ben, on her hip as she did this, and he was proving exceedingly difficult. Ben kept stretching to grab a glass or cup, so Karen had to keep a constant eye on him to make sure he didn't spill anything. Vic was sitting on the couch with his older son, Matt, who was trying to explain something from preschool to his father. Raven was nearby, resting her feet. She, too, was expecting again. However, it was not one child, but twins, making her extra moody. It didn't help, either, that they were due any day. Emily was sitting comfortably in her chair at the kitchen, and grinned when Bruce pulled a chair up beside her and sat to sip his juice. Gwyneth was off in a corner, trying to calm her crying daughter, Maddie, and was not succeeding. Finally, Gar was sitting on the floor with Mark, trying to teach him to say 'vegetarian' properly.

Overall, it was very busy, but it was their home. Everyone especially loved Aaron, because he was the sweetest little boy. Wally called the entire group over to the table as he placed the pancake platter in the center. Thirty seconds later, the giant plate was half-empty, and everyone was munching happily. Aaron seemed to watch from the outside. Except for Bruce, no one had noticed that it was his birthday. He didn't like to lie – it made him sad. After five bits of pancake, Aaron excused himself from the table, treading towards the door. "Son Aaron," Kori said, surprised, "Where are you going?"

"My room," he answered shortly before leaving.

"What's wrong with Aaron, Aunt Kori?" Emily asked sweetly.

"He believes that we forgot his day of birth," she answered, "but that is what we want him to think. Now hurry. We must make with the haste."

Upstairs, Aaron settled down on his beanbag, contemplating. How had his parents forgotten his birthday? They had never before. Maybe now, just maybe, they had begun to treat him differently because of his legs. The thought made him shudder. How could they? His thoughts were interrupted by a beeping noise from the computer in the corner. Racing over as fast as he could, he sat in his chair and looked at the screen. He clicked on the big button in the corner for emails. Inside, there was one new one. Reading the label, he discovered it was from his Grandpa. Grinning, he opened it. It was a video, and he watched in delight.

Bruce Wayne appeared in his suit, but he also had a pointy children's birthday hat and had a shiny horn in his mouth. The horn tooted and he beamed at his grandson. "To my wonderful grandson, Aaron, I want to wish you a very happy fourth birthday. I'm sorry I can't be there to tell you that, but I'm very busy with work. Your present is in the mail, and I hope it arrives soon. I love you very much. Say hello to everyone for me." The screen went blank and Aaron leaned back in his chair. At least someone had remembered.

Deciding it was time to get dressed, Aaron headed over to his closet and pulled out blue shorts and an orange polo shirt. He slipped the shirt carefully over his head and then sat down to pull on the shorts. Because of his conditions, he had only learned to dress himself last year. He had inherited a desire to make sure that every detail of his face and hair was perfect from his father. Therefore, before he went down, he went over to the Grayson children's bathroom to brush his teeth and spike the very front of his hair. Aaron admired his face in the mirror. His legs not might be perfect, but, in his opinion, he was a good-looking four-year-old. He was grown-up, yet cute as a button. Perfect. Even if no one remembered his birthday, he might as well look good for it.

He flipped the lights off in the bathroom and went back into his room. Aaron grabbed a book from off of his shelf. _Curious George_. It was one of his favorites, and he had recently gone with is family to go see the new movie. Settling down on his beanbag, he opened the front cover and began the story about the Man in the Yellow Hat and the curious little monkey who finds him. Aaron had reached the part where the balloons in the park lifted George into the sky when there was a knock on his door. Lifting himself onto his feet and pulling himself steady, he headed toward the door, where he opened in with anticipation.

No one was there. How curious. Stepping out in the hallway with _Curious George_ still tight in his grasp, Aaron walked down the hallway. He thought he saw a shadow disappear down the stairs, so he carefully descended the steps one at a time. He had once fallen down these very steps about a year ago. As soon as he reached the bottom, someone snuck up behind him and tied a handkerchief around his eyes. He gave a muffled cry, but was nudged forward by an unknown hand that prodded him from behind. Aaron heard an automatic door slide open and shut, but didn't know where from.

There was a sudden silence, and then the blindfold fell to his feet, as though the knot had been undone. Aaron blinked. He was in the living room, and it was quite empty. Nothing…no one was there. He was almost disappointed – had he been expecting something?

All at once, there was a burst of light, sound, and color, and everyone jumped out at the four-year-old. Aaron screamed and fell backward. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AARON!" they chorused. A giant sign had unrolled from the ceiling, and ribbon and streamers fell, drifting down slowly. Aaron stared around in amazement at everyone. He tried to get up, but his knee wasn't bending. He tried to rock back and forth to get momentum, but it didn't work.

"Help me!" he cried in frustration.

Richard and Kori immediately rushed forward and lifted their son to his feet. They presently hurried back to their previous spot and the whole group yelled, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AARON!" once more. This time, the little boy beamed in pleasant surprise. He ran forward as fast as he could and hugged the first adult he made contact with, which was his daddy.

"I thought you forgot, Daddy," Aaron said as two tears leaked from the corners of his eyes. Richard gently stroked his son's hair affectionately, but the little boy pulled away. "Hey," he snapped in a goofy way, "don't touch the hair." This line caused everyone to burst out laughing.

"He's more like you than I could have ever imagined," Vic chuckled.

Richard glared at Vic, but quickly recovered and leaned down to his son's level. "We would never forget your birthday, Aaron. You're more important to us than you could ever imagine. Now, how about some cake?" The raven-haired lad nodded gently and Richard scooped him up and brought him over to the cake table. The cake was chocolate – his favorite, and it had his name on it written in green frosting – his favorite color. His father cut him the first slice and placed it on a paper plate for him. Aaron picked up the fork and placed some cake in his mouth. He chewed for a moment, smiling, before swallowing and grinning at his father. "How is it?" Richard asked.

Aaron only dug into another bite, and that was everyone else's key to line up for a slice. Soon, every person in the tower had cake, and they were sitting around the living room, munching. However, after finishing his slice, Aaron went around from person to person, talking. In between Uncle Wally and Cousin Matt, he accidentally bumped into a door, which opened slightly. He peered inside and gasped. The room was full of brightly wrapped packages. Laughing, he raced back over to his mother and began talking very fast. "Mommy! I just saw this _ginormous_ pile of presents in the room. Can I open them? Please, please, please, please!"

"You must have the patience, son Aaron. You will soon begin the ripping of carefully folded paper over gifts. Just wait for the cake eating to end."

If you did not know it before, four-year-olds are not patient.

But, at last, after _forever_, the last paper plate was in the giant trash bag hanging from the countertop. Richard, Vic, and Gar disappeared for a minute before returning with arms full of packages. All of the children's eyes followed the presents' progress across the room. Now, to a normal four-year-old, this would be more presents than they'd ever seen before, but for the handicapped son of a Titan, this was absolutely normal. Not only did he get presents from his parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandfather, but also from fans and foundations. The presents were placed in front of Aaron. The look in his eyes was nothing but pure delight and wonder – not a trace of greed was visible.

Uncle Vic and Aunt Karen placed the first package in front of him. Aaron ripped the paper open and threw it aside. Inside was a remote-controlled car that was the size of three loaves of bread. It looked very fun. He thanked them and Aunt Raven and Uncle Gar passed their gift over. Inside was a great collection of picture books – at least ten. Aaron gasped in delight at the books and looked up. "Thank you! Thank you!" Raven placed a hand gently on her husband's shoulder and smiled lightly. Uncle Wally and Aunt Gwyneth watched as the little boy ripped open the paper of their presents. Apparently, they hadn't settled on a gift and both accidentally bought him something. Wally's gift was a pair of special beginner's roller blades, and Gwyneth's was new clothes – two shirts and a pair of shorts.

Aaron requested to open his parent's presents last. He was handed many packages from fans and organizations. Many were candy, books, games, or toys. One was even an outfit for a baby, at which Aaron announced that he'd be happy to donate that gift to one of the new babies. Finally, the pile was reduced to two medium-sized packages and an envelope from Richard and Kori. The first parcel was a child-size trumpet. Richard had always insisted that music was a good way to teach discipline. The second was a T-shirt that had a picture of Curious George on the front and read, _'Curious Little Monkey'_. The last thing left was the envelope, which Kori pushed encouragingly towards her son. Aaron opened the card inside and read aloud,

"_Dear little Aaron, you're growing up fast. _

_It's hard to believe you're four at last. _

_Your mind is so bright and soon you will see,_

_Just how wonderful you're going to be. _

_This present will take work, so don't give in,_

_Go look in the living room closet to give this a spin."_

Grinning like mad, Aaron rushed over to the kitchen. The titans heard rummaging noises, and then a cry of triumph. Using all of his might, the little boy pulled the gift out and pushed it back to the living room. He now stood beside his beautiful new green bicycle. Aaron threw himself at his parents and hugged them tightly, a smile plastered on his face. Mark and Bruce marveled over the new bike, but the birthday boy didn't notice at all.

Once the hugging had stopped, lunch was served by Gar and Vic, who served hot dogs (or tofu dogs) to everyone. Aaron ate heartily, and slowly, the room seemed to empty as people headed back upstairs. Soon, only Kori, Richard, and Aaron remained. Aaron finished eating and cleared his plate, giving it to his mommy, who was doing dishes. There on the kitchen counter was his book, _Curious George_. Richard was about to leave, when his son gave a cry. "Hey, Daddy! Can you read to me?" As it was almost impossible to refuse, he turned around and plopped down on the couch with him. Aaron leaned into his chest and opened the book to the first page.

The familiar words flowed out of his mouth as he recited the story that had been read a thousand times. Aaron could bee seen mouthing the words softly as his father read them. By the end of the story, the tiny boy was fast asleep, his eyelids shut, and is innocent face fixed in a smile. Richard knew that Aaron had been drifting off long ago, but continued reading until the end, as his son always insisted that he do. Suddenly, the phone rang, and he slowly stretched over to pick it up, not wanting to disturb the sleeping figure in his lap. "Hello?" he answered.

"Hello? Is this Titan's tower? May I speak with Robin?"

"This is he."

"Hi. It's Dr. Walker. I have some news concerning your son, Aaron."

"Really? What about?"

"His legs. I've been running a few tests and examining the x-rays and screenings from the last month, and I came to a conclusion." There was a pause where Richard drew breath. "With one final examination, Aaron will be able to have the surgery to remove the braces permanently."

Richard was so surprised that he almost dropped the phone. "Oh my. Such good news on such a special day. You must understand, Aaron has been waiting for the day when he could join his brother and run around and play like a normal boy. This will, perhaps, make him the happiest little boy in the world."

"Well, I'm glad to hear that. I've set up an examination in five day's time. Will that be all right with you?"

"Yes…yes that will be perfect."

"Thank you. Oh, and by the way, tell Aaron 'happy birthday' for me."

The other end of the line went dead. Richard hung up and turned back to his son. He was about to wake him and share the good news, but he looked at Aaron's face – so calm and relaxed. The news could wait for later. For now, he stayed asleep, safe in the comfort of his father's arms.

**Hooray! I really hope you enjoyed this chapter. It took me a little while, but it was fun to write. It's rather long, in my opinion. As to all the Curious George references, I have no interest in seeing the movie, but Jack Johnson is my favorite artist, and I've been listening to the soundtrack as I've written this. Plus, I have lots of cousins about Aaron's age (one of my cousins is Aaron!), and they all love characters like George.**

**Oh yeah – _ginormous_ is a combination of the word gigantic and enormous.**

**Anyway, I would really appreciate your reviews and comments (positive or negative). Please click the purple/blue button (what color is it, anyway?) and make my day!**


	4. Burden and Birth

**Title: Try**

**Summary: Aaron Grayson, son of the famous Robin and Starfire has been faced with challenges throughout his whole life, but he can deal with them. None, however, can compare to the wall that stands between him and the rest of his family. StarRob, BBRae, VicBee, JxKF**

**Disclaimer: I swear I don't own anything, OK? Stop asking me…geez! **

**Author notes: So…chapter four here! I need reviews! For those who review my stories, I would enjoy personally thanking you. THANK YOU! PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU READ THE NOTE AT THE BOTTOM! Will there be new characters in this chapter? Quite possibly…**

**Try**

**Chapter 4: Burden and Birth**

It was done. It had been three days since the surgery, and the braces had been fully removed. Aaron Grayson, however, had not fully recovered yet. The operation had taken five hours, as they had to fully remove every piece of metal that had been inserted into his legs. They had to use heavy sedative, so he had been out for two whole days. Kori and Richard had waited patiently by their son's side during that entire period. Although their eyelids had longed to close, the beeping of the heart monitors had kept them awake through both long nights. When Aaron did wake, his parents were overjoyed. He asked to see his legs, so Richard had removed the sheets that covered his body. Though they were covered in thick bandages, the little boy had smiled. He had never been able see his entire legs before, and the sight seemed to bring tears to his eyes.

Now, over a day later, Aaron grew fidgety. He wanted to get up and test his legs, and the doctor hadn't been in to see him yet. He had only watched TV. Mommy and Daddy had gone home to get sleep, but they had promised to return soon. How long was soon? Aaron leaned back on his pillow, feeling sleepy. It was then that Doctor Walker finally walked in. "Hey, kiddo," he said, rubbing the little boy's shoulder. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm all right. A little tired, but OK."

"That's the sedative talking – it still hasn't completely worn off. Listen, I'm going to take you down to the examination room to check out your legs. All I need you to do is let me put you in this wheelchair." Dr. Walker indicated the small empty chair that he had pushed in.

"Can I walk instead?" Aaron asked eagerly.

"Oh, no. That's not an option."

"Why not?"

"Well…you see. It's not quite that simple. You see, for the last four years, you've depended completely on your braces to support your weight and walk. Your legs are very weak, and the muscles aren't strong enough to allow you to walk. You'd fall down the instant you put a foot on the ground."

Aaron sighed disappointedly, but held his arms out to be lifted into the wheelchair, anyway. Dr. Walker wheeled him down to the examination room, where he was hoisted up onto the table. The doctor bent his legs in various directions and examined various parts of his shins and knees. "So, kiddo, where are your parents?"

"They went home – they said they were tired."

"Oh. Well, you look all right. You'll need to stay here for another week while you finish recovering. But just think – at the end of the long week, I'll remove the bandages and you'll be able to see your legs for the first time."

"Will I be able to walk?"

"No, Aaron. That will take weeks and weeks of physical therapy and practice. For now, you need to go easy on your legs. Rest them a lot, because when you start walking, it's going to hurt at first." Dr. Walker was cut off by his beeper, which blared from his shoulder. He pulled it close to his face to examine the screen. "Ooh…emergency. Listen, Aaron. I have to run – there's an emergency down in the maternity ward. I'm going to leave you in the capable hands of my nurse, Morgan." Before he left, Aaron overheard him whispering to Nurse Morgan, _"Apparently, this lady is seriously injuring anyone who comes near her. Things have even been exploding. Pray that I come out alive." _

At first, he was confused, but he suddenly figured it out. Things were exploding…that could only mean Auntie Raven's twins were coming. Aaron looked up at Morgan, who smiled down at him. "The lady that Dr. Walker was talking about was my Auntie. After the babies are born, can I visit?" Morgan nodded and wheeled him back to his room and helped him back to bed, turning on the TV. Aaron sat in bed for the next five hours, staring dully at the black box on the wall. How long did it take to have a baby? Often times, he heard screaming coming from downstairs, and then the sound of something exploding. Suddenly, a shrill cry sounded and Aaron craned his neck around the corner of the doorway. Everything seemed to be intact.

Aaron sighed and changed the channel for the billionth time. The noise stopped abruptly, and several disheveled doctors filed past the door and back to their offices. Within a matter of minutes, Wally and Gwyneth strolled into his room, Maddie in her stroller. "Hello, Aaron," Gwyneth said, kissing her nephew's cheek. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm OK. Was that Auntie Raven downstairs?"

"Yeah, so we're here to take you to see the twins."

"Aaron!" cried Maddie, who grasped a pink doll, which clashed violently with her red hair.

Wally lifted Aaron into his wheelchair, and began pushing him down the hallway. Everyone was in normal clothes, as to try and blend in, but people still stared as they made their way to the maternity ward. As both children were silent, Wally and Gwyneth began talking as they walked to Raven's room. "Wally, what do you think of having another baby?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Well, considering we're about to go greet a friend of ours who has just had a baby, the thought crossed my mind."

"I don't know, I mean, we already have Maddie…she's quite a handful."

"Oh, please. You are the fastest boy on Earth – don't tell me that handling more than one child is too much for you!" Gwyneth answered sardonically, stepping off the elevator.

"I didn't say that!"

"That's what you implied, Mr. West."

"I don't know, Mrs. West. That is what I was implying – maybe, all right?"

They arrived at Raven's room and discovered that she looked like hell, but had a soft expression on her face. She was leaned against her pillows, sweat visible on her brow. Gar was off to the side, cradling his bruised hand that his wife had squeezed the life out of. Aaron thought he heard him mutter something about, _"Never again. Last time **ever**." _Gar was the first to notice that they had company, however, and jumped to his feet. He beamed at his guests, who held their breath in anticipation.

"It's a boy _and_ a girl!" he laughed happily.

"Where are they, Gar?" Wally asked.

"They're in health checks. The doctors have never had green babies born here before."

"They're green? That's wonderful, Gar."

"What's their names, Uncle Gar?" Aaron inquired curiously.

"Well, Auntie Raven and I haven't decided yet."

The door swung open once more, and a young nurse escorted six-year-old Emily and three-year-old Mark inside. They saw their father and immediately ran over to greet him. Gar picked the two children up and sat them on the bed. He whispered something to them and they both smiled and clapped their hands before crawling over to their mother and kissing her on the cheek. Soon, Richard and Kori showed up with Bruce at their side, along with Karen and Ben. Karen explained that the security system at the tower was doing something funky, so Vic and Matt had stayed behind to work on it.

The room, which had once been quiet, was now a zoo. Since the twins were still off at medical exams, the center of attention was Aaron. Everyone marveled as his 'beautiful legs', and told him that he would be running and playing like a normal boy very soon. Finally, after about an hour of waiting, two nurses returned the twins to their parents. The little boy was handed gently to Gar, and the girl was given to Raven.

"So, Mrs. Logan, what do you want to name our beautiful twins?"

"I was thinking that since your son inherited your good looks, I'd let you name him."

"Well, you and I did make a list…my personal favorite was Braden. Your favorite was Maxwell…Max for short. How about Braden Maxwell Logan?"

"I love it. My turn. For our little daughter, my favorite name has been Molly for a long time, but you've been 'Elana-ing' me for the last six months. Molly Elana Logan?"

"Deal."

Gar stole a quick kiss before announcing the twins' names to the crowd. Mark and Emily were fast and jumped up onto the bed once more to meet their brother and sister.

**TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT **

It had been three weeks since the birth of Braden and Molly, and Aaron had been home for two weeks. He had been attending physical therapy every other day since then. It wasn't like he had expected – he wasn't practicing walking at all, yet. Instead, all he did for three hours every other day was bend his legs in odd ways and lift tiny weights on his ankles. **(A.N.: I honestly have no idea what they do in physical therapy lol. If you know, tell me!) **He was still in a wheelchair, which he found frustrating, especially since he couldn't go up stairs. In light of this, Kori and Richard had temporarily moved their family's bedrooms downstairs to the main floor. This was helpful for both Aaron and Kori.

Kori was due any day, and she now spent a significant amount of time sitting on the couch and reading to her son, who was under similar constraints. Recently, she had taken to telling Aaron about his Tamaranian heritage, and was often seen with a large book clad with strange-looking…something. As his wife and younger son were down and out, Richard shifted into high gear and seemed to cater to their every whim. He brought them breakfast, lunch, and dinner at the couch. Plus, he was given the task of picking Bruce up from school, something Raven normally did. Since she and Gar were rather occupied with their four children, the job had been handed over to Richard.

On the very day that Braden and Molly turned one month, it happened. Kori had been reading to Aaron when she suddenly burst out in a cry of pain. She yelled for her husband, who immediately appeared by her side. "Richard, I do believe it is time." He, of course, jumped into action by calling the school to let Bruce know, scribbling a note to everyone else, and grabbing jackets. He then helped Kori to the T-Car and pushed Aaron down in his wheelchair. Together, they sped off towards Jump City Hospital.

As Titans, they had to fill out one or two simple forms before Kori was taken to the back to be changed into her hospital gown. Richard once again found himself in the waiting room for the maternity ward. He twiddled his thumbs, ran his hands through his hair, and bounced his knees, all out of nervous habit. _How was Kori holding up? Was it going to be all right? Would she be all right? Would the baby be?_

His thoughts were interrupted by a tiny weight on his knee. It was Aaron's hand. "Hey, Daddy? Are you all right? You look really nervous."

"Daddy is very nervous, Aaron."

"Why?"

"I'm afraid that something might happen to Mommy or to the baby, and that one of them might not turn out healthy. I want a perfect baby."

Wrong choice of words.

Aaron looked away from his father, not wanting to meet gazes. "I guess I don't live up to hopes."

Before Richard could even say anything else, Aaron had wheeled away to another room. He hung his head, ashamed at his words. He had not thought about the words coming out of his mouth, and his things on his mind had suddenly come pouring out. Of course that's what Aaron would think after something like that was said. How stupid he was! Richard didn't have time to think much more, as a nurse came through the door and called his name.

The scene seemed so familiar to him…his footsteps carried him right to Kori's side, where grasped her hand and comforted her when it hurt. Suddenly, a flashback played in his mind:

"_I want to congratulate you both on your new son. However, I have some bad news. You have a perfectly healthy son, however, Aaron was born with tangled legs. Most babies are born with straight legs that are aligned their body. However, his bones developed in an odd shape. We will be able to straighten them out, but it will take time. Aaron will never have fully-functional legs, but with the right treatment, he may be able to walk by the time he is four if we're lucky."_

"Richard…RICHARD!"

It was Kori. She was sweating profusely, and her face was purple. "The doctor says that you must assist me with the last of the pushing." Snapping from his reverie, Richard focused once more on the current baby, and coached his wife as she struggled with the last few minutes of agony. Finally, after much effort, screaming, and pain, the baby slid into the doctor's arms, and he held up the wriggling figure. Just like the two previous babies, this one was a squirming, purple baby, who instantly began crying. However, this one was different, too.

"Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Grayson. You have a little girl."

The baby was swaddled and taken away to be examined and cleaned and was brought back several minutes later and handed to Kori. She held the baby in one hand and grasped the other in Richard's as the doctor removed his mask to talk to them. "You have a perfect baby girl. She has no pending problems. You should be very proud."

Both parents breathed a sigh of relief and looked at their daughter's face for the first time. She was smaller than either of her brothers, but her eyes were wide open and alert, unlike most babies at that age. It must have been the Tamaranian in her. Gazing at her, they discovered that her head was covered in patches of dark fuzz. Her eyes, however, possessed the same enchanting green hue of her mother. Kori looked up at her husband and her face showed some concern. "Richard, we had planned for a boy, but I do not think that she is a Ryan."

"Very true. Why don't you pick her name?"

"I am sad to say that I know very few Earthly girls' names."

"Well…I could pick out her name, I guess."

Richard had never been good with important personal decisions…he had once pondered for three years on how to tell Kori Anders, his fellow teammate and best friend that he loved her. Now, as he stared into the entrancing eyes of his infant daughter, not much came to mind. Names flashed through his head, but nothing seemed suitable enough.

Ella? Rachel? Katie? Lucy? Olivia? Sadie? Paige? Skyye? Nicole? Leah? Haley? Mikayla? Sarah? Taylor? Chloe? Rylie? No, no, no. Nothing seemed suitable. Richard tried to remember the names that he had thought of when Kori announced that she was going to have their first baby, or, now called by his more familiar name, Bruce. One name had stuck out in his mind as being so pretty that he had stared at it for minutes. Rebecca. Rebecca…something. Rebecca Alexandra.

"Her name is Rebecca Alexandra Grayson."

"Oh, Richard! That name is most splendid – let us tell the nurse to write it down for her certificate of birth."

The nurse wrote the name down, and company was allowed into the room. First in were Bruce, Gwyneth, Wally, and Maddie, who all crowded around to get a glance at the first girl Grayson. Others from the tower came to admire Rebecca, but the one who never showed up was Aaron. After a while, both Richard and Kori grew worried, but were occupied with their newborn daughter for the moment. After everyone had come and gone and Kori and Richard were simply talking, there was a knock at the door.

"Come on in!" Richard called out.

The door creaked open, and a wheel appeared. However, it didn't seem able to get through the space between the frame and door. There was a frustrated sigh, and the sound of unbuckling. Aaron Grayson's face appeared from behind the wall, and he stretched out to grasp it. Using only his arms, he pulled himself to his feet and stood on the footrests of his wheelchair.

"Hi, Mommy. Hi, Daddy. I want to see the new baby."

Aaron, his arms rigid from exerting the muscles, stepped forward from his wheelchair and onto solid ground. Closing his eyes, he let go of the wall. For a split second, he let out a shout of triumph and grinned, before his legs shook from beneath and he crumbled to the ground. He gave a cry and tried to get up, but he couldn't seem to find the strength to move. Richard instantly threw his legs over the bed's edge, but Kori placed a hand on his arm.

"Helping our son all the time is not our function as a parent, Richard. We must let him struggle to become stronger – we must give him 'the space', even when he cries out."

Although he could barely watch his own son cry out in pain, he did. Kori was right – Aaron would never learn to walk with his parents picking him up every time he fell. Aaron wailed from the ground and yelled, "Mommy! Daddy! I can't move! Help me!" Grimacing inwardly, Richard did nothing but continue to watch the little boy struggle. Eventually, he gave up crying and slowly crawled over to the bed, where, using every muscle in his upper body, pulled himself up to the bed level.

Kori and Richard both had tears of happiness in their eyes, but Aaron's were only from frustration and anger. "Why, Mommy? Why, Daddy? Why didn't you help me? It hurt so bad!"

Kori was about to answer, when Richard cut her off. "Let me tell you something, Aaron Samuel Grayson. This is something I didn't learn until I was a lot older than you. Things aren't always going to go the way you planned them, and sometimes, life throws unexpected curves at you that you could have never expected. And when these curves come, you can be caught up in it, but you don't want that to happen. You need to learn to depend on yourself, and you need to learn that your mother and I aren't always going to be there for you. You need to learn to trust yourself and believe in yourself. You need to learn to catch yourself when you fall, not hope that someone is standing behind you holding a net. It hurts Mommy and I to see you going through this, but it's necessary. It's what is going to make you a fine young man when you grow up."

Richard wasn't sure if Aaron fully understood, but in time, he would come to understand what it meant. Instead of answering, Aaron looked past his father to the bundle of blankets in Kori's arms. "How is the baby?"

"She is beautiful," Richard responded, placing an arm around his son, who was sitting beside him with a wide grin on his face. It was then that Richard realized for the first time just how brave the little boy was.

**EXTREMELY IMPORTANT!**

**If Aaron had a son, what would his name be? Pick one of the choices or name another name:**

**Adam, Aidan, Henry, Kai, Ethan, or Clay. **

**Back on topic: **

**This story is far from over, people! Keep reviewing and I will keep posting – OK? During the whole 'fatherly speech' thing, I was listening to the Smallville theme song, "Save Me" by Remy Zero. I LOVE SMALLVILLE! Anyway…please review. I'll love you forever if you do – really! Just ask the people who review how grateful I am!" **

**peace 'n luv - GUCIGIRL**


	5. We are Going to be Friends

**Title: Try**

**Summary: Aaron Grayson, son of the famous Robin and Starfire has been faced with challenges throughout his whole life, but he can deal with them. None, however, can compare to the wall that stands between him and the rest of his family. StarRob, BBRae, VicBee, JxKF**

**Disclaimer:** **I don't own Teen Titans, despite what you may think. Rather sad, isn't it?**

**Author Notes: I want to thank all of you who have reviewed my story so far: 21 reviews, baby! Wee! Anyway, about the last chapter, I got a few comments about all the babies being born. There are two reasons why. **

**#1 – it was in the chapter title, and it is the last chapter where there will actually be a baby born during it. **

**#2 – to make a long story short, I'm the only girl in my extended family. I'm almost 14, and there are 7 boys between the ages of 13 and 4 (five of them being 4 OR 5). ANYWAY, within the next week, there's going to be a GIRL! I'm just over-hyped, so…yeah. **

**Once again, please review! I am counting on your feedback for mini plots going on in the background and whether I'm doing a good job. I accept flames…I love you all…yada yada yada. ON WITH THE SHOW!**

**Try**

**Chapter 5: We Are Going to be Friends**

Fall had arrived in Jump City, and everywhere, the edges of bright green leaves were beginning to dry out. Displays in shop windows were being changed from beach scenes to boys and girls with backpacks and uniforms. The park, which had once been infested with barefoot children of all ages, now stood nearly empty in the late afternoon. Instead, the children were inside, marking their school things with their name.

A car drove past the park one day in the fall, and its inhabitants looked out at the empty swings and green grass. It was midday – about lunchtime, and normally, this place was swarming with picnic-goers. Bruce Grayson, now seven, was the only one who didn't look. He was busy playing the Gameboy that he had gotten for his birthday a while ago, and was quite into it, making exploding noises every time he hit a target. He wasn't the only one in the backseat – Rebecca was in the middle, and was sitting snuggly in her car seat. Now a happy one-year-old, she always enjoyed watching the green grass and the people in it. Her hair had grown, and Kori always enjoyed pulling it back into a tiny ponytail on her head.

The third was a small boy. Aaron Grayson wore swim trunks and a T-shirt that were still sopping wet from his physical therapy session, which he had just completed. He had recently started working in a pool with his therapist. She called it hydrotherapy **(A.N.: Thanks RobxStar4eva!)**, and all he had to do was walk the length of the shallow pool. Although he had been in therapy for a year, he still had to do simple exercises like that. It did help, though. Only four months ago did he walk for the first time. When it happened, it was like a miracle.

_It was late afternoon at the tower, and everyone was laid back. Most of the kids were crowded around the giant screen, watching a movie, while some adults were in training, while others kept an eye on the kids. Gar, Wally, and Gwyneth were sitting on the couch, eyes fixated on the screen, though the movie was not that enthralling. Off to the side of the group, Aaron was sitting on the edge of the couch. His mouth felt dry, and he wanted a glass of milk, but the kitchen…it was so far away. He was determined, however, and got up from his place. His legs did not crumble under him anymore – they had grown much stronger. No one noticed Aaron get up, but instead, kept watching the movie. _

_He steadied himself on the armrest of the couch and focused in on his target – the refrigerator. Closing his eyes and breathing deeply, he took a step forward, holding fast to the edge of the couch. This would not be an easy trek. If worst came to worst, his father, who was in the kitchen, could come and get him. Little did Aaron know, his parents had been carrying a video camera around constantly for the last month, so they could capture their son's first steps. Richard noticed out of the corner of his eye that Aaron was on his way over, if very slowly. Silently, he pulled the video camera from within his pocket, and turned it on, careful to keep it out of sight. _

_Aaron paused in his journey. The couch was now out of reach, and he had many more steps to take. Lifting his leg up, he planted it on the ground in front of him. It felt like Jell-O for a moment, but soon steadied. Ready to try again, he lifted the other leg and placed it in front of his body. This time, he really thought he'd fall. His knee was faltering, and that wasn't a good sign. His leg began to shake, but he didn't stop. Relieving weight from the foot, he stood straight once more. He had taken two steps…all on his own! Perhaps he could go a bit faster… yes. Stepping forward once again, it didn't hurt quite so much. Now the next foot, the next, and the next. He was doing it! He was really walking! _

_Richard, almost on the verge of tears (which was quite unusual for him), snatched his communicator up, not daring to take the camera off of Aaron, and whispered vigorously into it: " Kori! Kori! Come quick – it's happening – now!" Before anyone could breathe, she was there, standing in the doorway, watching her son successfully walk. It was miracle. Kori flew to the kitchen beside Richard, who leaned down to welcome Aaron. The little boy reached his father and threw his arms around his neck. Both parents found themselves crying, along with the boy in their arms. Everyone on the couch turned around to find the scene just the same. Bruce was the first over to hug his brother, once they had realized what happened. Aaron smiled the whole time. _

Now, the T-Car flew across Jump City Bay to where the T-shaped tower sat; their home. The car parked, and the kids climbed out of the back. Richard grabbed Rebecca, and they made their way inside. The house was a wreck. Toys littered the floor, spills were everywhere, and Kori swore that she spotted a pair of pants in the entranceway. They climbed into the elevator, only to find Gar and Vic huddled in a corner. When everyone gave them strange looks, they had nothing to do but explain.

"Well…you know how school starts next week?" Gar said worriedly, "Um…Emily, Mark, Matt, Ben, and Maddie are…protesting."

"Protesting?"

"Yeah. It's crazy out there. I wouldn't suggest going into the living room, man."

"But friend Vic? They are merely children? Can you not simply overpower them with your better judgement?"

"They won't listen."

"I doubt that Raven would let anything like this happen, Gar."

"She, Karen, and Gwyneth are taking care of it right now, though I doubt they'll have much luck. The kids…they fight better than they look like they would. They'll make good titans when they're older."

"I'm sure everything's fine."

"Everything isn't fine! Last time we were up here, the whole room was a wre…ck?"

The elevator doors opened automatically, revealing the nearly spotless living room. Just inside, all three ladies sat, a smug look of satisfaction on their faces. Everyone stepped out of the elevator. It was surprising to see a room that was so clean, but had been described two seconds previously as being a wreck. Raven faced Vic and Gar, fire in her eyes.

"Welcome back to the hell hole. We, your wives, have successfully finished a job that you apparently were not capable of doing. The living room is clean, order is restored, and the kids are quiet as mice."

"Where are they, Raven?"

She said nothing, but pointed upward. There, in black auras, sat the five troublemakers. They looked guilty, yet pleased with themselves. They were almost laughing, it seemed.

"One thing, though. Mark seems to have misplaced his pants. I have no idea where he left them, so I thought I'd ask you. After all, you are the one who reminds me quite constantly that he takes after _you_."

Sighing and blushing, Gar headed back into the elevator, mumbling to himself. Raven released the children from the auras and they drifted softly to the ground, bursting out in a fit of giggles. As the crowed dispersed, including a pants-less Mark. Gwyneth reached into her pocket and pulled out a letter. "Richard, Kori, this is for you. I got the mail earlier…it's from Jump City Public Schools." She quickly left to fetch her older daughter, Maddie, and bring her back up to the West hallway.

Kori slit the envelope open and read the enclosed letter. It was about Aaron, and it was his application to Indian Meadows Elementary School kindergarten. She showed the paper to her son, who read it and was excited within an instant. She, Richard, and Aaron spent the afternoon filling it out, answering questions from medical history to favorite colors. Beside an application, there was also a supplies list in the envelope. Aaron immediately asked if he could go out shopping with them for a backpack and such. While they were amused by his enthusiasm, both were very tired from spending the afternoon out in the city, and told him that they would do it tomorrow.

The next Monday at six thirty AM, Aaron's eyes flew open and a smile was plastered on his face. He threw the covers off and hurried over to his closet to find clothes, tripping a bit. Although he could walk and run well, he was still very unstable. Rummaging through his clothes, he found a nice pair of khaki shorts and a navy blue polo shirt. He then ran to the bathroom in the hall, closing the door behind him. Aaron brushed his teeth and his hair, then placed a small amount of gel in his hands to make spikes. It was more difficult than it seemed, though he had watched his father do it many times. After about three tries, he got it the way he wanted it to look, and exited the bathroom. Not aware what time it was, he raced into his parents' room.

"Mommy! Daddy! I'm ready for school!" There was a groan from the right side – it was Daddy, and he only adjusted his pillow so he could sleep more. Annoyed, Aaron came over to that side of the bed and shook the man. He remained asleep, no matter what his son did. Exasperated, the little boy raced back to the bathroom, got a drinking cup full of cold water, and raced back inside. Giggling, he tossed it on his father, who yelled and bolted up right on his feet, standing in a fighting position.

"GET OUT HERE, YOU COWARD! YOU DON'T FOOL ME…MUM…bo?"

"Daddy?" Aaron stood at the foot of his father's bed, the plastic cup hidden behind his back.

"Sorry…Aaron? What time is it?"

"I dunno, Daddy."

"Well, just so you know, it's…seven AM, and Daddy is very tired. He spent the whole night downstairs working on a lead. Why are you up so early, Aaron?"

"Kindergarten starts today, duh!"

"Wha…oh, yeah! I bet you're excited, huh, kiddo?"

"I am. Did I do a good job dressing myself?"

"Yes, you look very handsome. Why don't you wake your mother up?"

"All right."

Aaron raced to the other side of the bed and shook his Kori awake. Unlike Richard, she merely flitted her eyes open and smiled warmly at the sight of her son. She sat and stretched and lifted the small boy up on her lap.

"My, you look quite nice today, son Aaron. What is the special occasion?" she asked deviously, playing with him.

"Kindergarten starts today, Mommy!"

"Really? I had absolutely no idea. That is most wonderful, Aaron. Why do you not go play with your toys while your father and I do the 'getting ready'? We will come get you when we are done."

Aaron jumped down and ran to the door, waved, and left. Both adults fell back onto their pillows and laughed. If their son was this excited about school, it would be a long 13 years… sighing, they got up and got dressed – Kori in a purple T-shirt and white capris, and Richard in a pale yellow polo shirt and khaki pants. Kori grabbed the video camera before they went down to the boys' rooms to bring them downstairs. Both boys showed up, backpacks on, just like their smiles. Raven and Gar were already downstairs. Raven sat neatly beside Emily, who sipped tea and ate a cut-up pancake drenched in syrup. Apparently, Mark had gotten mad once again, and had turned into a fly and hidden. Gar was now yelling at what appeared to be nothing.

Bruce and Aaron pulled up chairs at the table and began to eat quickly. School started in half-an-hour, and they wanted to be their a little early. Everyone finished, Mark was found, and all eight people were teleported by Raven to Indian Meadows Elementary School on Sydney Street. They appeared in front of the school, and Aaron marveled at it. The golden leaves on the trees seemed to glorify it in an alluring way. He began to walk forward, and Kori turned the video camera on. The front doors hadn't opened yet, so they sat outside, waiting for the day to start.

"So, Aaron, today is your first day of 'the kindergarten'. How are you feeling?"

"I'm really excited, Mommy."

"Can you tell me the name of your school?"

"Indian Meadows Elementary."

"Are you going to make many friends?"

"Yes! Lots and lots of friends."

"Will you miss Mommy and Daddy?"

"Yeah. I'm gonna miss you a lot."

A bell sounded from far off, and from all over, students began pouring in. There were boys and girls who were twice Aaron's size, and looked kind of scary. The Grayson and Logan families both entered the school, and found it to be bursting with life. Children, parents, and teachers were all talking, making it very loud. Richard and Kori said good-bye to Bruce, as Raven and Gar would lead him to his and Emily's classrooms in the second grade wing. Raven, Gar, Emily, Bruce, and little Mark headed off, leaving Richard, Kori, and Aaron standing in the main entranceway. The little boy took his hands in his parents' and together, the three headed toward the kindergarten hallway.

"Do you remember the name of your teacher, Aaron?"

"Miss Lowell, I think."

They quickly found his classroom through the sea of children, and led him inside. About ten other children, their parents, and a pretty young woman were scattered around the room. The classroom was to be marveled at. Murals, posters, and pictures lined the walls, along with a giant bulletin board and a chalkboard. A giant wooden ship stood in one corner, and toys were all over the place in bins. Small rugs and cots were buried in another corner, and there were small tables and chairs on the floor. There was a moment's pause and a silent intake of breath when the Graysons entered, but the talking soon continued. Kori and Richard found their way over to Miss Lowell, their hands still grasped in Aaron's.

"Hello, Miss Lowell, I presume?"

"That's me. Amy Lowell."

"I am Richard Grayson, and this is my wife, Kori. Honey?" Richard asked, leaning down. "Why don't you tell Miss Lowell your name?"

"I'm Aaron Grayson, and I can't wait for kindergarten!"

"Well, Aaron. I am very excited to have you in my class. In about three minutes, I need you to say bye to your parents, okay? We're going to start." He nodded, and she continued on to another boy who was clinging to his mother's leg and refusing to let go. Kori and Richard kneeled down to their son's level, and both gave him a hug.

"We'll miss you, Aaron. We hope you have a great first day of school, and I hope you make some new friends." They patted him once more on the back and left, Kori glancing behind at her little boy. Soon, all of the parents had vacated, leaving a room full of other five-year-olds, one of which was still crying. Miss Lowell called them over to a rocking chair and told everyone to introduce themselves. There was a large boy named Robby, a freckled girl named Anna, and a shy boy whose name, Austin, was barely audible when it was said. The teacher had to calm down the crying boy, Zac, before he could say anything. When it was Aaron's turn, everyone gasped. He wasn't surprised that they recognized him – he had been on TV ever since he had been born.

"My name is Aaron Grayson."

This statement was met by a chorus of 'wow's, and Aaron blushed before the circle moved on to a girl who sat beside him. That day at recess, everyone began running around the playground with the other five kindergarten classes, but Aaron moved slowly. He had never played with other children beside the ones at the tower. From far off, he spotted Emily and Bruce on the big kids' playground, but he wasn't allowed to live the kindergarten playground. Although the other kids were amazed that he was a second-generation titan, they seemed to think that he was stuck up. Everywhere he went, he was turned away, as the others said, "Why don't you go play with your fancy toys at your tower?" Two boys, Alec and Corbin, even made fun of his funny looking legs.

Aaron had been able to deal with everything else, but these remarks drove him to tears. He found a hidden corner of the inside of a jungle gym and sat there and cried. He didn't care that his pants would be dirty from the mulch or that Miss Lowell blew the whistle to come in. He sat with his knees curled up to his chest and let the tears run. As the sounds of other children's voices gradually died away, Aaron wiped his eyes. The last thing he wanted to be now was a sissy for crying. Maybe going to school wasn't such a good idea…

Most of the hurrying footsteps of other children running had gone, but one pair was racing back inside, as though it was late. Suddenly, the footsteps stopped. The noise was coming towards him, and a small face poked inside his hiding place. It was a girl from his class, but he couldn't remember her name. She showed concern and knelt down beside him.

"Are you all right? What's the matter?"

"I'm okay, I guess. The other guys were making fun of me because of my legs. They said they were funny looking." Aaron stood up and showed her his legs, which were severely scarred from the braces.

"What happened to them?"

"I had to wear braces on them for four years, because they were bad. They were taken off a year ago, but it still hurts sometimes."

"I think that's really brave, and not funny looking at all."

"Really?"

"Yeah. My name's Alexis Thomas."

"I'm Aaron Grayson."

The two smiled at each other for a moment, before Alexis glanced at the door to the kindergarten hallway. "Oh my gosh! We hafta get inside before the teachers close the door. Come on, Aaron!" She grasped his hand, and together, they sped off toward the doors. Back inside, they entered Miss Lowell's room in time for music class, where Mrs. Vocum, or Shirah (her first name, which she insisted that they call her by) was introducing herself. They sat in the back, singing along.

Before everyone knew it, the end of the day had come, and parents were arriving out front to pick children up. Aaron's or Alexis's parents weren't there yet, so they waited beneath the apple tree growing on the front lawn. Both were talking about that day and all that had happened. Suddenly, a black aura appeared on the lawn, revealing Raven, Gar, Mark, Braden, Molly, Richard, Kori, and Rebecca. Aaron jumped up and ran over to his parents, wrapping his arms around them.

"Hey, kiddo! How was your day?"

"It was great. I want you to meet my friend!" Grabbing their hands, he pulled them over with Rebecca's stroller in tow. Alexis was still sitting beneath the tree, gazing around for a sign of her parents. She looked up at the sound of Aaron's call, "Hey, Alexis!" Smiling, she scrambled toward her new friend. "Mommy, Daddy, this is Alexis Thomas. She's my bestest friend."

"Alexis – it is most pleasant to meet a friend of my beloved son, Aaron."

"What did you guys do today?"

"We painted and sang and played and practiced the alphabet," Alexis enlightened Mr. and Mrs. Grayson.

"It sounds like you had a lot of fun. Can I get you two together in a picture?"

Aaron slung his arm around Alexis' shoulders, grinning, and Richard took the picture. Alexis then gave a shriek as her father came into sight. "Bye, Aaron," she said, hugging him kissing his cheek. Aaron blushed, but looked, nonetheless, pleased. Richard chuckled to himself. Only five and already a hit with the ladies…it reminded him strongly of himself at that age. Bruce and Emily turned up a minute later, and Raven prepared to teleport back. Aaron managed to catch Alexis's eye once more and wave before the black aura enclosed everyone. He didn't know how, but he knew that this was the beginning of a wonderful friendship.

**HOORAY! I am SO SORRY that that took so long to post, but I got major writer's block. ** **Anyway, what did you think? Please tell me. I want your opinions. I have some WONDERFUL NEWS! **

**The news: her name is Sydney Mae last name is not your business, and she was born last Tuesday! I am a happy cousin! **

**The name pole from the end of last chapter is down to:**

**Kai, Aidan, and Ethan. Please vote!**

**You know the drill, my fellow FANatics! **

**Peace 'n luv, GUCIGIRL**


	6. Left Behind

**Title: Try**

**Summary: Aaron Grayson, son of the famous Robin and Starfire has been faced with challenges throughout his whole life, but he can deal with them. None, however, can compare to the wall that stands between him and the rest of his family. StarRob, BBRae, VicBee, JxKF**

**Disclaimer: No, I don't own Teen Titans! I also don't own "Lullaby" by Jack Johnson!  
**

**Author Notes: One thousand pardons for not updating in a while. I have been so busy…plus we're learning trigonometric functions in Geometry…ugh. I hate math. A question was asked about whose child is whose. Here's a list: **

**Richard and Kori: Bruce, Aaron, and Rebecca**

**Gar and Raven: Emily, Mark, Braden, and Molly **

**Vic and Bee: Matt and Ben**

**Wally and Gwyneth: Maddie and Ava**

**I hope that clears things up. Other news…I'm starting another story, and will hopefully post it soon. It's called Gar, the Latte Boy. Watch out for it! Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter. Here goes!**

**Try**

**Chapter 6: Left Behind**

A beautiful day in April, the Grayson children were taking advantage of the nice weather and were playing outside the tower. The grass had just begun to grow, and spring had begun to show. Bruce was floating just above the ground in happiness as he and his brother, Aaron, placed little daisies in their baby sister's hair. Rebecca, although she was only two, was quite a skilled flier, and was now sitting cross-legged in midair. The only one planted firmly on the ground was Aaron. Although he was a Grayson by blood, he didn't seem to inherit any extraordinary ability. His parents often told him that it would develop in time, and so he was waiting for something miraculous to happen.

Now an active six-year-old, almost seven, Aaron was almost done with first grade. He began to laugh as Rebecca accidentally poked Bruce in the eye, and he began to chase her through the air. The middle child watched from the ground, a small pang of longing nagging at him. His siblings were awfully far away, so he decided to chase after them on the ground. He had grown quite stable on his legs, and was now able to do just about anything. The giant scars on his knees and ankles, however, were constant reminders.

Kori Grayson, their mother, appeared at the base of the tower, calling them in. Unfortunately, today was their annual checkup at the doctor's office. It was a struggle to get two of the Grayson children near a doctor. This time, however, Kori and Richard had not told their children what was going on. As soon as Bruce and Rebecca appeared inside, Richard practically tackled them in order to bring them to the T-Car. Almost instantly, the Bruce realized what was happening. "No! No! I won't go to the doctor!"

Aaron got in the car without being told and strapped himself in the middle seat. He had been to the doctor so many times that one more visit meant nothing to him. Once all three Grayson children were ready to go, no matter how grumpy, they pulled out and flew over the Jump City Bay. At one point during the ride, Kori leaned over and kissed her husband on the cheek. Richard looked mildly pleased with himself, but there was an instant chorus of 'EWW's from the back seat.

They arrived at Jump City Pediatrics and Kori had to keep a firm hold on her oldest and youngest child so they would not fly away. Inside, they checked in and waited for their special doctor – one who dealt with special children like the Grayson family. In fact, all of the Titan's children went to him. Bruce went in first, gulping as he entered, and returned 30 minutes later with dried tears, a bandage, and a lollipop. Then in went Rebecca with Richard, her preferred parent of the day. She screamed several times, but eventually returned in her father's arms. She was sniffling slightly.

It was Aaron's turn, and he got up obediently and went into the little room, where he was met, not only by his pediatrician, Dr. Cohen, but also Dr. Walker, the man who had fixed his legs. "Hello, Aaron. It's nice to see you again," Dr. Walker said, hoisting the figure onto the examination table. As always, because he was part alien, blood was always drawn at the beginning to make sure that things were stable. Normal checkup procedures took place, and he was given a polio shot **(A/N: they forgot to give me one when I was five, and I didn't get it until I was twelve. Stupid doctors…heh heh. My dad's a doctor…)**. Dr. Walker then took over, examining Aaron's back, legs, and bone structure carefully. Thankfully, he deemed everything normal.

Dr. Cohen returned and called Kori and Richard in. This couldn't be good. He only did that when there was bad news. "Mr. and Mrs. Grayson. Aaron. I'm going to be frank. Your son's blood has been analyzed in our machine, and the results that turned up are…interesting. You had a test done on him when he was an infant that determined how much of a Tamaranean he was, yes?"

"Yes, son Aaron did partake in such a test. Why do you ask?"

"You also learned that he was 7 Tamaranean and 93 human, yes?"

"Yes we did, but what does this have to do with-"

"My point is that each time one of the Titan's children turns up for a check up, I run a short test on the blood, and things turn up abnormal, and that is how we determine which powers they have inherited from their parents. Your son's blood has turned up completely normal."

"What are you trying to say, doctor?"

"What I'm saying is that your son is normal. There are no powers within his body. He has no super powers – no flying, no strength, speed, or anything. He doesn't have them now, and will never develop them."

Kori grasped Richard's hand, and Aaron stared down at his toes. How could this happen? His parents had promised – they had promised! They had promised that one day, he could be just like Bruce and Rebecca. They had promised that he was just extra special and a late bloomer. Bursting into tears, he ran from the room, not even bothering to put his shirt back on. He charged through the doorway and sped past his wondering brother and sister, trying to find a quiet place to cry. He couldn't let anyone see him cry. It would only make him seem weaker. In the Grayson family, you weren't normal…you were just weak. That's what his father called it anyway.

He found a bathroom two floors up and curled up in a corner and cried. He let the tears flow and didn't care if his parents ever found him again. They'd be so ashamed to have him for a son. He heard the sound of shoes nearby, but didn't seem to realize that there was someone else. A young man, looking about twenty or so, saw the little boy in the corner.

"Hey, little guy, what's wrong?"

"Go away."

"Come on, now. I'm trying to help. I mean, if I was sitting in the corner of the bathroom bawling my eyes out, would you want to help me?"

Aaron looked up and giggled through the tears, "No, 'cause I hate it when people cry."

"Oh, but so do I. I just want to make sure you're OK. Why are you hiding here anyway?"

"My parents know that I'm normal."

"Normal? What's wrong with normal?"

"In my family, normal is weak."

"Oh, I see. High standards. Let me tell you something, kid. No matter what anyone tells you, even your parents, just know that no one can tell you what kind of person you are. You determine that, got it?"

"I guess. What's your name?"

"Gabe. What's yours?"

"Aaron."

"Well, Aaron, let's get you back to your family. Are they down in the pediatric wing?"

"I guess…"

Gabe lifted Aaron onto his shoulders and the two made their way downstairs to the office. Bruce saw them coming and flew forward. "Mommy! Daddy! Aaron's back!" The twenty-year-old looked shocked at first when Bruce levitated off of the ground, but then he understood. It wasn't just any kid that he had found crying in the bathroom. He was one of the Titan's kids. Kori and Richard rushed forward in relief, taking the little boy from Gabe.

"Thank you very much…?"

"Gabe. Gabe Sullivan. I work here."

"Oh, well, thank you. We owe you one for finding our little guy."

"Dad, I'm not little!"

"We wouldn't have found him for hours."

"Yes. Son Aaron is very good at the 'hiding', but unfortunately, we have not quite learned the 'seeking' very well."

"Well, I'm glad I was able to help, but I've really got to get back to work."

"Bye, Gabe!" Aaron yelled as Richard placed him back on the ground. The little boy stared at the floor tiles, aware that all eyes were now on him. "Are you mad at me?" he asked, not looking at them.

"Mad at you? How could we ever be mad at you? You never did anything – this whole…situation is completely out of your control. There is nothing that anyone could have done. Look at me – I don't have super powers, but I'm still loving life."

"You're the best martial artist in the world, though."

"Maybe I could teach you martial arts. Would you like that?"

"Don't you remember? Dr. Walker told me two years ago that I wouldn't be able to learn that stuff. My legs aren't strong. I can't do anything!"

Richard sighed. There really was no positive to the situation. What could he possibly do for his son? _Just try to be supportive and figure something out later._ As Richard looked down at his son, however, words wouldn't come out. They couldn't seem to form, so he just stared blankly. Aaron looked up at his father and cried. Silent tears began spilling down his cheeks, and Kori picked up her small son, rubbing his back. She hushed him gently and glared at passersby, who stared openly at them.

"Get his shirt and the children, Richard. _Please_. I shall take Aaron home separately. I do not think that interaction with son Bruce and daughter Rebecca will be helpful to the situation at hand." She began to levitate off of the floor and flew out of the hallway, Aaron cradled safely in her arms. He was crying softly into her shoulder. She knew how he felt – she knew what it was like to be considered inferior to siblings.

At one point during the flight, Aaron realized where he was, and his crying began growing harder. He hated crying, but the fact that he would never fit in with his family…it drove him to tears. The way Daddy had looked at him – he probably thought that his second son was a wimp. His mother carried him across Jump City Bay and onto the island where he lived. They reached the ground and Kori placed Aaron gently on the ground for him to walk. As she began to head in, however, he didn't move at all. He kept crying, slumped to the ground.

"Son Aaron, what troubles you so?"

She was met only by his sobs, but did not take pity. Instead, she stomped over and stood him on his two feet. "Aaron Samuel Grayson, you will look at me! You are not weak or inferior in any way. Do you understand me? Your father and I love you very much, and nothing can ever change that. Now you will stop with the crying and walk through the tower door with me. Is that understood?"

Regardless of how scared he was of his mother when she was angry, he still didn't move. His tears had since dried, but his eyes were vacant, as if his soul had left him. Aaron looked his mother straight in the eye. "Did you see the way he looked at me, Mommy? It was like I wasn't even his son." Bowing his head, he retreated inside, where he went to his room and shut the door.

Richard, Bruce, and Rebecca returned home a half an hour later, not aware of the crisis that had happened earlier between mother and son. As dinner was placed on a giant table, Richard leaned over to his wife and whispered, "Where's Aaron? He should come down for dinner." Kori carefully squirted a small amount of mustard near her pizza for dipping and considered her answer carefully. It was a very delicate situation that needed special handling.

"Son Aaron is not feeling well, and will not be joining us this evening."

"Not feeling well? Did the doctor make him sick?" Gar asked, attempting to convince Braden to eat his vegetables.

"No, the doctor did not make son Aaron become the 'sick'. I must correct myself. He is not feeling emotionally well. He is very distressed. He needs 'the space'."

"Oh. What happened?" Gwyneth inquired, glancing over from the other end of the enormous table.

"Let's just say that it's a family matter for now, and when we decide how to handle the situation, we'll let you know. There are…complications." The entire mood of the table had lowered, and even Rebecca and Bruce, who had been present that afternoon, were now shocked. After eating, Kori left to help Aaron get ready for bed, as the little boy was not on the best terms with his father at the moment. Heading up to the Grayson Wing, she punched in the code for her son's room and entered.

Aaron was staring at himself in a wall mirror, fixated on his image. Although he was only six, he was handsome for his age. He had a 'girlfriend'; his best friend, Alexis, and he would often go to her house after school to play. Richard had taught Aaron to spike his hair just like him. Except for the fact that the little boy didn't wear a mask, he was the spitting image of his father. "Aaron, I have brought you a slice of the pizza. Please eat. You have not consumed food all day." He didn't respond, but reached out his arm and touched his reflection. Kori set the plate down and sat beside her son.

"Mommy, why does Daddy think I'm weak?"

"He does not think that you are weak, Aaron. Your daddy was surprised, and sometimes, surprise can silence even the most talkative of us."

"He's gonna treat me different now. Everyone's gonna treat me different."

"Yes, Aaron. People will treat you differently, but that does not mean that you must become different. You must also understand what your father is going through. He is a man who has many things to balance. He is a superhero, an uncle, a son, a husband, and most importantly, your daddy. Sometimes, because he is so busy, he forgets to be one of those things. Today, he forgot how important you are just for a moment. Right now, though, your daddy is sitting in the downstairs, worrying if you will be all right." Kori pushed a small lock of hair from Aaron's face. He gave a sniffle and buried his face in her lap.

"But Bruce can lift a car, Daddy is teaching Rebecca Kung Fu, and they both can fly! What can I do?"

"Well…" Kori looked around his room. "You are very smart – you are only six years of age and you can already do 'the multiplication'. Also, you are most organized. You draw quite well, and from what you have said about the music class in school, you seem to enjoy playing the piano. That is quite a lot that you can do. Not to mention that you are a wonderful son and brother."

Aaron smiled and walked over to his dresser, where Kori had put the pizza slice. "I'm hungry, Mommy. Can I have the pizza? Then can I go and play video games with Matt?"

"Of course." Kori swelled with pride – her son was so strong.

TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT

Three weeks later, Aaron went over to Alexis's house to play after school. The shock of Aaron's news had largely blown over, and the Grayson family had told the rest of the tower. Kori had told the entire team that they were not to treat Aaron any differently than before, because he was already very sensitive to the news. Alexis was learning diligently from her friend how to play checkers, and the two were giggling from the living room of the Thomas household.

Aaron loved his friend's house. It was a place where he felt like he fit in. There were no flying or meditating cousins to remind him of his problems. Instead, Mrs. Kelly Thomas and Mr. Trevor Thomas treated Aaron like one of their own and welcomed him with open arms any time. Unlike Aaron, Alexis was the oldest child in her family. At age six, she already had a little sister, Megan, who was two. Megan was very quiet and enjoyed watching the two older children play.

At seven o'clock, just as Alexis jumped one of Aaron's pieces, Richard rang the doorbell of the Thomas home. Mrs. Thomas answered and called Aaron into the front hall. He froze when he saw his father. Instead of the street clothes and sunglasses he normally wore, he was in uniform as Nightwing.

"Daddy, why…?"

"Don't worry about it now. I'll tell you when we get home. Thank you for watching him, Kelly."

Richard grabbed his son's arm and placed him in the T-Car. "Daddy? Why are you in uniform? I thought Uncle Gar and Auntie Raven were working this week."

"They are. I will explain everything when we get home." He took off and drove across the city and the bay without saying another word. When they parked, Nightwing released his son from his booster seat and led him inside. Aaron froze. As soon as he walked in the door, he found himself surrounded by suitcases. Kori was seen in the kitchen preparing mysterious food. Like Richard, she was in uniform as well. No longer Kori Grayson, she was now Starfire.

"Mommy? Daddy? Where are we going?" Aaron stood in the middle of the commotion, silent and small, clutching his small book bag. Kori and Richard froze, exchanging looks and looking down at their son. Nightwing picked up the little boy and placed him on the couch between he and his wife.

"Your mommy and I are going somewhere for a while. We're also taking Bruce and Rebecca with us."

"Where are you going?" Aaron asked in a hurt voice.

"We're going to a special place that will help Bruce and Rebecca become better heroes. It's a training facility that's run by Grandpa Bruce with specialists that can help them."

"Why can't you take me, too?"

"We'll be too busy, and I don't want you to get jealous of your brother and sister."

"I don't care. Take me! I'll be good, I promise. _Please. _I'll do _anything. I promise._"

"There is nothing we can do, son Aaron. The facilitator of training will not be willing to see you if you do not have abilities. The only reason we are leaving is so children Bruce and Rebecca may obtain new ways to control their abilities."

"You're just saying that because you don't want me to come!"

"That's not true."

"Yes it is! You're leaving me here because you don't like me!"

"That's not it at all."

"Then explain why."

"I already have."

"No you didn't. You didn't give any reason at all. Mommy told me why Bruce and Rebecca are going. I want you to tell me why you aren't taking me! If you can't find a good reason, I'm going to come. I don't care what you say."

Richard could feel his temperature flaring. Why didn't Aaron just accept this and leave it alone? He realized he was on his feet, though he didn't remember getting up.

"You're going to stay here. End of discussion. No questions asked."

"No."

"What did you say?"

"I said no. Just because I don't have powers doesn't mean that I can't do things with my family."

"When I say no, it means no. Is that clear? I want you to go to your room and stay there."

Aaron looked taken aback, and gazed up at his father's hardened face. He burst into tears and ran from the room, leaving his bag on the floor behind him. Richard sat back down on the couch and ran his hands through his hair. Why did things like this never happen with his other children? Kori, who had been very quiet, now stood.

"What should we do? There's no positive solution to this problem."

"Of course there is a solution. You can always apologize."

"Apologize? Aaron's the one who's acting up. Why does he have such a big problem? He should understand that Bruce and Rebecca need special training from a young age."

"The problem is that he is only six years of age, and he doesn't understand why his daddy and mommy are treating his brother and sister better than him. He does not understand why they get the special attention when he can barely get a word in. He is only a little boy, and does not see the world as we do; full of practicality. Because we do not take him to see the facilitator of training, he feels that we think he is inferior."

"I don't think that."

"He does not know that. I have told him many times, but he needs to hear it from you. Otherwise, he may never understand." The edges of Richard's mouth twitched, and he stood. Together, the couple traveled up towards the Grayson Wing, where they found Aaron's door shut and the lights off. Punching the code in, they saw Aaron lying on is bed, crying. "Richard, you should help him. I shall do the 'standing by' to make sure that he does not require addition moral support." Richard nodded and sat beside his son.

"H-hey, big guy. How're you holding up?"

"Don't go. Please don't go. I'll do anything you want."

"Aaron, I'm going to be honest with you. There's nothing you can do to stop us from going to see the trainer. This is something that your brother and your sister need to do."

"Why do you treat them different than me?"

"I'm going to tell you something. Being a father is one of the hardest jobs in the world. I treat each of my children in the way they need to be treated, and I try to be fair to each individual, because they're not the same."

Aaron looked into his father's eyes, searching for any type of dishonesty within their depths. There was no trace of a lie, though. He turned away and stared at the wall for a minute, salty tears still running down his cheeks.

"Can I tell you something, Daddy?"

"Anything."

"I'm gonna miss you a lot."

"I'm going to miss you too, champ."

More tears began to flow, and Richard pulled Aaron onto his lap. "Ssh. It's going to be okay, buddy. It's going to be okay."

Richard comforted his son for several minutes until the sobs had been reduced to hiccups. His uniform was soaked, but he didn't mind. There was a while when the two just sat there in silence. Aaron gave a large yawn.

"I'm tired, Daddy."

"Do you want to go to bed?"

"Yes, please."

Richard removed his son's shoes and socks and tucked him beneath the covers. Looking up at his father, Aaron yawned again. "Daddy, can you sing to me?"

"I don't know any songs, though."

"Can you make one up?" Aaron smiled his sweet smile. He really did look like a miniature Richard Grayson.

"I'm afraid that I'm not very good."

"I don't mind," Aaron cooed, resting his head on his father's shoulder. Richard quietly cleared his throat and sang out the first words that came to mind.

_When you're so lonely lying in bed_

_Night's closed its eyes but you can't rest your head_

_Everyone's sleeping all through the house_

_You wish you could dream but forgot to somehow_

_Sing this lullaby to yourself_

_Sing this lullaby to yourself_

Richard stroked his son's hair and continued, remembering that he would leave just after Aaron fell asleep.

_And if you are waiting, waiting for me_

_Know I'll be home soon darling I guarantee_

_I'll be home Sunday, just in one week_

_Dry up your tears if you start to weep_

_And sing this lullaby to yourself_

_Sing this lullaby to yourself_

Aaron yawned again leaned his head against the pillow of his bed.

_Lullaby, I'm not nearby_

_Sing this lullaby to yourself_

_Don't you cry, no don't you cry_

_Sing this lullaby to yourself_

Besides his voice, the room was absolutely silent. Aaron smiled up at his father, though his eyes were beginning to droop.

_Cause when I arrive dear it won't be that long_

_No it won't seem like anytime that I've been gone_

_It ain't the first time, it won't be the last_

_Won't you remember these words to help the time pass?_

_So when you're so lonely lying in bed_

_Night's closed its eyes but you can't rest your head_

_Everyone's sleeping all through the house_

_You wish you could dream but forgot to somehow_

_Sing this lullaby to yourself_

_Sing this lullaby to yourself_

_Sing this lullaby, sing this lullaby_

_Sing this lullaby to yourself_

Now almost fully asleep, Aaron's eyes were barely open, and he had begun to curl beneath the blankets. Just before passing into dreams, however, he smiled at Richard. "I love you, Daddy," he whispered, falling asleep instantly. The smile never left his son's mouth.

He headed downstairs and picked up his suitcase. Bruce had his back pack at hand, and Kori held Rebecca in her arms. "Ready?"

"I'm ready."

Richard turned back to glance the elevator that led to Aaron's room. It would be a long week.

**Once again, I am SOOOO sorry for the long wait. School got ahead of me and then we had spring break in Florida with no internet access…so I apologize most sincerely.**

**This chapter was showing a little more angst (well…6-year-old angst). There will be more in the future, and more things will happen, I promise. Oh, and there are a couple deliberate grammar mistakes when Aaron talks, like when he says 'different', it should be 'differently'.**

**I love you all!**

**Thank you and goodnight! (Oh yeah…don't forget to review!)**

**Tootles – peace 'n luv, GUCIGIRL**


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